


heartless

by lethargicProfessor



Category: D.Gray-man
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-08
Updated: 2018-07-09
Packaged: 2018-10-29 09:52:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10851537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lethargicProfessor/pseuds/lethargicProfessor
Summary: The castle had always seemed imposing in the distance, cast in the shadows of the mountain range beyond. As a child, Lenalee had imagined the shadows as protectors to the royal family, weaving stories about them through her treks in the woods.





	1. i

The castle had always seemed imposing in the distance, cast in the shadows of the mountain range beyond. As a child, Lenalee had imagined the shadows as protectors to the royal family, weaving stories about them through her treks in the woods.

Standing in front of the gates now, she finds the shadows are far less welcome than they appeared, nothing like the shadows the rangers use for safety. They seem cold, leeching the color from the castle, unnatural in the waning light.

Against her instincts, she follows Komui through the gates, past wary guards and bustling servants. Despite the activity – and it’s hardly a surprise to find so many people active in such a large keep – everyone they meet is strangely quiet.

“You still haven’t told me why I’m here,” she whispers to her brother as they make their way through winding halls, soft boots almost silent against rich carpets. Komui’s strides get longer, and she huffs as she picks up the pace. “Komui, why am I here?”

He makes a soft sound at the back of his throat, something like a whine and a groan and a sigh and makes it a point not to look at her. “You were summoned.”

“By who?” His step falters, and she hisses when he abruptly comes to a stop, causing her to run into his shoulder. “Komui?”

Her brother, the royal family’s apothecary, clears his throat audibly before pushing open a large set of double doors, the heavy wood creaking and sending a chill down her spine. “You’ll see.”

Lenalee is tempted to leave, societal conventions be damned, but as if sensing her intentions, Komui pulls her through the open doors with a sweaty grip. The doors shut behind them with a stunning sense of finality, and Lenalee pulls her wrist out of Komui’s hands with a scowl. “What are you—?“

Komui makes a strained noise, patting her mouth with a hushing sound before physically turning her head forward.

Her resistance leaves her at the sight of the large study draped in reds and golds, but she does stomp on Komui’s foot in retaliation for the rough handling. To his credit, he doesn’t cry out, but the sharp intake of breath is satisfying.

The study is large, lit by a roaring fire, the heat chasing away some of the draft they let in as they entered. A young man is reading by the fire, watching them over his book with a decidedly unimpressed air about him. Much to Lenalee’s horror, the crown prince rolls his eyes at them and returns to the tome in his hands.

Komui squeezes her shoulder lightly, leading her towards a wooden desk and the old man behind it. This one she’s not familiar with, but by the grip Komui has on her, she assumes he is also of import.

The old man watches their approach with sharp eyes, fingers steepled at his mouth. Balding and short, with dark circles under his eyes, he seems benign enough, but there is still an undercurrent of something dangerous that Lenalee can’t quite put her finger on. Still, Komui has worked with the royal family for some years now; if he deems them trustworthy, she has to hold her tongue for the time being.

“My lord,” Komui murmurs at the man, bowing his head. Lenalee makes a move to copy the motion, but falls into an awkward curtsy instead, suddenly hyper-aware of the state of her clothes, dirty and torn from the forest. “This is my sister, Lenalee. The one I spoke of.”

“Indeed.” The old man nods in return, a spark of amusement in his eyes as he stares them down. “Well met, Miss Lenalee. Your brother speaks highly of you.”

There’s a snort behind them; Lenalee turns, frowning at the prince still dutifully buried in his book.

The old man sighs, and some of the tension seeps from her shoulders at the sound. “Ignore him,” he says instead, standing. “He’s….not well.”

“Not well?” Lenalee echoes, looking up at Komui for an explanation. “What do you mean?”

“He’s been cursed.” The old man stands from his seat, slowly making his way around a desk strewn with papers and seals. “His condition is why you are here.”

Lenalee steals a glance at the prince, noting with some uncertainty that he doesn’t seem to be very cursed. Rude, perhaps, and uninterested, but every royal sort she’s met before comes off the same way.

“What happened?” She asks instead, leaning in to the light squeeze her brother gives her shoulder. “And what does that have to do with me? Your lordship,” she adds hastily, still unsure as to how to refer to the older man.

The old man stands before her, a head or so shorter, and gives her a once-over before speaking. “My grandson’s heart was stolen. We have brought you here so that you may bring it back to us.”

The realization hits Lenalee all at once, and she feels her cheeks heat up as Lord Regent Bookman waits for her to respond. Of course, she had heard rumors of the kingdom’s regent, the young crown prince’s grandfather that raised him after the tragic death of the king and queen. Lenalee was much too young to remember the incident itself, but the stories told were commonplace. She never imagined she would meet either one in person much less assist them with anything.

Komui nudges her gently, and she stifles a cough as the words all jam in her throat. “Um?” She offers, ignoring a rude scoff from behind. “How….would I be able to….assist, my lord?”

Lord Bookman nods slowly, moving past them towards the fireplace and the crown prince; Komui and Lenalee follow a few steps behind.

“There is a witch in the wilds, beyond the mountains,” the old man begins, pausing behind the prince’s chair. “She has a great deal of hate for my family, and has already taken my son and daughter from me.” He taps the chair lightly, composing himself, before turning to face Lenalee and Komui again. “I do not wish to bury another member of my family. You understand.”

Lenalee nods, swallowing thickly. “Of course, my lord.”

“After consulting with our local spellmasters and apothecaries, we find we have very few options left before our time runs out.” The Lord Regent nods at Komui, drifting back to the desk.

“Whatever curse the witch cast left Prince Lavi alive, but heartless,” Komui explains, following the old man. Lenalee lingers by the fire for a moment before doing the same, feeling the prince’s eyes at the back of her head. “If we do not break the curse, or return his heart, whatever the answer may be, he will die.”

Lenalee frowns, watching the old man shift through the seals on his desk. “So you wish for me to retrieve it.”

“Your brother often praises your tracking skills.” The Lord Regent looks up, a sealed letter in hand. “If what he says is true, you will have no trouble finding it before it is too late.”

“When should I leave, then?” A trip over the mountains into the wilds would take about a month, if she could manage to leave before nightfall. Supposing they had supplies on hand, she could manage to leave right away.

The old man frowns, tapping the letter against the desk. “I apologize, I was not very clear. You must take my grandson with you.”

Lenalee feels her plans come to a screeching halt, and blinks at the old man. “I’m sorry?”

“I can sense it,” the prince calls from his chair, seemingly bored with the conversation. “The heart. My grandfather wishes for you to escort me, my lady.”

She doesn’t like his tone at all, but bites her tongue. “If you wish for me to take him, the trip would take far longer. How much time do we have?”

“Until the next full moon.” Komui’s answer is grim as he slides a chart to her. “A bit less than a month.”

That’s not enough time, and by the looks on the men’s faces, they know it too.

“If that’s the case, I can go myself to find this witch and bring her here.” Lenalee nods to herself, looking between Komui and Lord Bookman. “It would be faster that way.”

“No, no,” the old man says, and he seems to draw into himself, the age and responsibility suddenly heavy upon his shoulders. “The little fool must go with you.” There is no heat to his words, and the look he casts the younger man is concerned, even if he doesn’t see it.

Komui glances at Lenalee, the twist in his mouth telling her how he feels about that. “It is your decision if you wish to go or not.”

“Except it’s not, really?” Lenalee offers her brother a shrug and a smile, because she knew she didn’t have a choice the minute she stepped through the heavy wooden doors. “Shall we?”


	2. Chapter 2

He’s been rubbing his eye for hours.

It’s not something Lenalee would comment on, exactly, but just the fact that she knows he’s doing it is driving her up the wall. 

She’s had to correct the course of his horse more than once already, because his grip on the reins is slack at best despite his claim that he’s been riding horses since before he could walk, and if only he would  _stop_  maybe she wouldn’t find him as irritating as she does.

“You don’t like me, do you?” He questions out of the blue, nudging his horse along so it matches Boots’ stride. 

Lenalee lets out a slow breath, and turns to Crown Prince Lavi with a tight smile. “What possibly makes you think that?”

“You’re very obvious,” he shrugs, the way one would if they were commenting about the weather, and again he continues to rub his eye. His horse, a tall chestnut gelding with a coat far too shiny for the common workhorse, gently veers into Boots’ side again. 

Lenalee sighs and slips her foot out of the stirrup, nearly sliding off Boots to urge the prince’s horse forward instead of to the side. “Your highness,” she says with as much respect as she can muster between gritted teeth. “Can you please keep your horse in line?”

He hums and drops his hand to the reins, and they continue without issues for another hour. The castle is a dark smudge in the distance, barely distinguishable from the mountains behind it, and yet it feels like they haven’t traveled very far at all. 

The woods to the east are thick, though there is enough light to allow them easy passage. Sometimes a beam of light will shine down, mottled yellow across their path.

It would be a nice trip, honestly, if not for the fact that Lenalee could feel the time ticking at her back, and the prince at her side scrubbing his eyes like he’s trying to put them out.

Lenalee sighs and nudges Boots along to a faster clip, hoping the prince has enough presence of mind to follow, turning down a lesser trodden rode to the South. 

He does follow, thankfully, the horse keeping up with Boots easily enough. The wind tugs at her hair and cools the sweat on her brow.

“We’re going the wrong way,” the prince says, matter-of-fact, and Lenalee closes her eyes.

“We’re not.” She replies, and blames Boots hopping over a fallen sapling for her shortness.

“The witch is to the North,” the prince insists, and she stops Boots so abruptly he nearly pitches off his horse when it stops.

The look he gives her is  _almost_  dirty as he rights himself. Lenalee turns Boots on the spot to face him, reminding herself that while he is heartless, it doesn’t excuse him being a brat. (It doesn’t excuse her either, but she didn’t exactly want to go on an escort mission for the crown.)

“We’re not finding the witch that took your heart.” She says slowly, patting Boots’ mane lightly. “Not yet, anyways. I…know of someone who might be able to help us. If he can’t, then we go North. Is that acceptable, your highness?”

He clicks his tongue softly at her tone but nods. “Very well then, Miss Lee. Lead the way.”

Lenalee nods and rights Boots on their course, feeling a chill run down her spine. She might have been imagining it, but in the dappled sunlight, Prince Lavi’s eyes seemed almost…unnatural. 

A side effect of his affliction, perhaps? Or the start of something worse. Regardless, Lenalee spurred her horse on the road South, hoping her connections might be enough to buy them some time.


End file.
